OCSD to launch livestream pilot program
January 28, 2021Dear Elementary Parents and/or Guardians,
I am writing to share that the district is going to be employing a new pilot – short term program for all of our elementary schools beginning Feb. 1. The goal of this pilot is to explore an option that we believe will allow for the district to provide more live instruction for our elementary students with their educational staff while also reducing the amount of asynchronous instruction that students are receiving.
The district is piloting this program because we feel that our students will benefit from more live instruction throughout the week from their assigned teachers as we move forward through this pandemic.
What is involved in this pilot?
Throughout each week, using technology, teachers who are piloting this program will be live streaming their instruction for their entire class (both cohort A and B) four days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday). Accordingly, students who are at home for the day and those who are in person will be receiving the instruction from their teacher at the same time – live streamed through Google classroom.
When will the pilot begin?
We are planning for this pilot to begin Feb. 1. Several teachers will start right away and others will be added shortly thereafter (throughout the earlier part of February).
Will I need any special equipment if my child’s class is selected to participate in this pilot?
No. Students will only need their home or district-assigned device (i-pads, laptop or Chromebook) to participate in this program. If your child needs a device, all parents and/or guardians are asked to please reach out to their child’s principal to let them know and a device will be provided, free of charge.
How will I be notified if my child’s classroom will be part of this program?
If your child’s classroom is part of this pilot program, your child’s teacher and/or school principal will contact you directly by phone or email to share this information with you directly.
What are the benefits of this pilot – model?
There are several aspects of this pilot that we believe will benefit our students. They are as follows:
- This model will provide students with at least four days of live instruction instead of only two days when they come to school for in person instruction.
- This model will allow for our students to have even more instructional consistency and continuity; and
- This model reduces the amount of asynchronous learning for students which has, at times, been challenging for some of our students and their families.
Will the district share outcomes from the pilot?
Yes, as the district moves forward with this new pilot, we do plan to share outcomes with our parents and/or guardians and our entire learning community.
Why is the district piloting this program instead of moving forward with it right away?
In an effort to make sure that we get this right for all of our students, we feel that it is best to try this new pilot one step at a time while also learning from it. Please also know that the district felt that it would be best to employ this program in this manner in an effort to not disrupt the educational programming that our students and their families are already currently use to.
If my child is a 100% remote learner, will their classroom be participating in this pilot?
No, all students who are 100% remote learners will not be participating in this pilot. This is because they are already receiving live-streaming instruction daily.
With that said, please know that throughout the month of February the district will be monitoring this new pilot closely while adjusting our practices as needed. Before February ends, we will be in touch with our entire learning community to let you know how things are progressing and next steps for our elementary students.
Should any parents and/or guardians have any questions or concerns, they are encouraged to reach out to their child’s classroom teacher and/or principal directly. Thank you for your time and efforts as we move forward with this new initiative.
Yours in Education,
Dr. Mathis Calvin III
Superintendent of Schools
